Link ladder.



No. 634,444. Patented Oct. I0, I899. N. H. DAVIS.

LINK LADDER.

(Application filed Oct. 26, 1898.)

2 sheets-sheet (No Model.)

I nventor Attorney.

Witnesses.

No. 634,444. Patented Oct. l0, I899.

n. H. DAVIS.

LINK LADDER.

(Application filed Oct. 26, 1898.)

H Model.) I 2 spew-sheet 2.

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Witnesses. 03 Inventor. 7

. Attorney.

mes.

TEN

LINK LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,444, dated October 10, 1899.

Application filed October 26,1898. SerialNo. 694,567. (No model.)

, citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding in the city-and county of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Link Ladders, of which the following is a true and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof. 1

My invention relates to the construction of ladders, and is especially adapted and intended for use as a freight-car ladder, by which the train-hands can ascend and do scend on the outside of the car, although, as will be obvious, it is adapted for use in other v positions as well.

The object of my invention is to provide a ladder made up, so to apeak, of a series of links enchained together and each preferably adapted to be independently secured to the wall of the car or other construction with which the ladder is used, the whole construction being of great simplicity and strength,

and designed to afford convenient and secure foot and hand hold for any one using it.

The nature of my improvements will be best understood as described in connection with the drawings, in which they are illustrated, and in which- Figure l is a front view of a ladder embodying a simple modification of my invention illustrated in connection with a section of a freight-car. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the ladder of Fig.1, showing it also as attached to a freight-car. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the top link of the ladder. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view taken as on the sectionline 4: 4: of Fig. 2. View showing the construction of the links of which the body of the ladder, Fig. 1, is made up. tom of the ladder on a largerscale; Fig. 7, a similar side view Fig. 8, a plan on section 8 8 of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a plan, Fig. 10 a front elevation, and Fig. 11 a side elevation, showing the enlinked portions of two links of modified form; and Fig. 12 is a plan, Fig. 13 a front elevation, and Fig. 14: a side elevation, of the enlinked portions of two other links, showing still another and my preferred modification of my invention.

Fig. 5 is a perspective,

Fig. 6 is a front view of the bot- I A indicates the wall, and B the top, of the freight-car.

O in Figs. 1 and 2 indicates the ladder asa whole.

0 O, &c., indicate the links making up the body of the ladder, the uppermost and lower links,-which differ in construction, being indicated at c and C Referring first to the construction of the link 0, as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, each of them is formed with a cross-bar C having at its ends laterally-extendin g sockets,(indicated at O 0 from which depend the side pieces 0 C At the lower ends of these side pieces Sockets 0 C are formed, from the lower ends of which in turn project laterally-extending shoulders 0 continued backward in the form of arms (3, which arms terminate in some convenient means for'attaching them to the sides of the car or other wall. As shown, flanges C are provided for this purpose, perforated 'to give passage to lag-screws, by which they are attached to the walls of the car. It will .be readily seen that the construction illustrated and above described permits the enchainment of the links 0, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, and that each link when brought to proper placesupports and braces the enchained link, holding it in proper position, while the inwardly-extending arm 0 holds the ladder as a whole at a proper distance from the wall.

\Vhere my ladder is to be used in connection with a freight-car or any other position where it rises to a roof or landing, it is desirable that a grip-bar should be provided at top, and consequently in forming the upper link 0 I carry the upper ends of its side pieces :0 backward, as by arms 0, to flanges G which are adapted to lie against and be' secured to the roof of the car andjwhich in turn .are connected by an upwardly-rising cross- 6, 7, and 8,) which may be convcnientlyprovided with socket-shoulders C, carried back, as arms 0, having terminal flanges C similar to flanges C and the arms C of the enchained links are secured to the bottom of the link 0 by eyes 0 In the modification shown in Figs. 9, 10, and 11 the cross-bars C sockets C, and sides C of the links are as already described; but the lower ends of the arms are formed to enchain with other links in a somewhat different manner, the ends of the side pieces being first bent to form inwardly-curved sockets 0 which extend around the back of the ends of the bars C and then bent outward to form the outwardly-curved sockets C which extend around the front of the sockets C and are continued backward, as arms 0", with terminal flanges C In the third and preferred modification illustrated in Figs. 12, 13, and M the sockets at the ends of the cross-bars C are curved both outwardly, as shown at O and rearwardly, as shown at C throwing the crossbars 0 in front of the sides C to a distance about equal to the thickness of the bars of which the links are made. The sockets at the ends of the side pieces are similar to those illustrated in Figs. 9, 10, and 11, except that the lower outwardly-curved socket (shown at 0 does not extend so far to the front of socket 0 The advantage of the last modification lies chiefly in the fact that the ladder formed of such links has its cross-bars C and side pieces 0 in the same place and no projecting parts extending beyond said plane.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A separable-link ladder having a crossbar C lateral side pieces 0 0 depending from said cross-bar, sockets adapted to receive the cross-bar of another separable link formed at the lower ends of the side pieces and arranged to lock said other link in position and inwardly-extending arms continued from the lower ends of said sockets, said arms provided with means for securing them to a wall.

52. A separable ladder-link 0' having a cross-bar O terminating in laterally-extending sockets, side pieces C depending from the said sockets and having at their lower ends sockets adapted to interlock with and hold in position the sockets at the ends of the cross-bar C of a similar separable link and inwardly-extending arms 0 continued from the sockets at the ends of the side pieces and provided with means for securing them to a wall.

3. A ladder-link having a cross-bar C terminating in laterally-extending sockets, side pieces C 0 depending from said sockets and having at their lower ends an inwardly-curved socket from the lower end of which extends an outwardly-curved socket said sockets being adapted when engaged with a similar link to pass behind the ends of the cross-bar and in front of the laterally-extending sockets at the ends thereof and the metal of the link being continued from the lowermost socket as in wardly-extending arms having at their ends means for securing them to a wall.

4. A ladder-link having a cross-bar C termin atin g in laterally and inwardly extending sockets, side pieces 0" 0'' depending from said sockets and having at their lower ends an inwardly-curved socket said sockets being adapted when engaged with a similar link to pass behind the ends of the cross-bar and in front of the laterally and inwardly extending sockets at the ends thereof and the metal of the link being continued from the lowermost socket as inwardly-extending arms having at their ends means for securing them to a wall.

5. A ladder having in combination a top link 0 formed with an upwardly-bent crossbar 0 springing from flanges C C, outwardly-extending arms 0 O, lateral side pieces 0 depending from said arms and having at their ends sockets adapted to receive the cross-bar of a link C and inwardly-extending arms C and a series of links 0 depending from said top link and from each other as described.

6. A ladder consisting of a series of interlocked links 0 each having a cross-bar with depending side pieces turned inward at their ends to form supporting-arms and said links having interlocking sockets formed at the junction of the side pieces with the cross-bar and with the inwardly-turned arms, and a foot-piece as C having a cross-bar, sockets formed at the ends thereof to engage and interlock with the sockets on the ends of the side pieces C of a link C and inwardlyturned arms extending from the socket whereby said foot-piece can be secured to a wall.

NATHAN H. DAVIS.

Witnesses:

BALDWIN SPRINGER, RoBT. ADAIR. 

